THF / Benson Ford Archives - Accessions

[George House]

Friends,… I’ve researched to the best of my limited ability to find Accession ‘scriptures’ on the I Net - to no avail. Specifically I/we should be interested in production changes during the Model T era. How difficult must it be to computerize this ? Or has it already been done ?

[DanTreace]

George

Short answer, not computerize to this time of any records of such volume of changes of the Model T during its production life. Very much doubt that info will ever be, as the records are microfiche files at Benson.

The best source to date is to obtain the set of 2 CD's made by Bruce McCalley. There you will find a whole treasure of info, much much better than his last big book, Model T Ford, the Car that Changed the World or the Club's home page of his Encyclopedia, the CD's are expanded to allow rapid search too with much more info on changes with photos too. Very well done, recommended highly, I use mine all the time as it's loaded on my desk top Mac.

Obtain that from Barbara McCalley, $50, plus $10 shipping: gourmetbarbara2@verison.net

For actual data, use the Benson Ford services, via email, as still in 2025 you cannot visit the research library in person.
They can provide photo files of parts drawings, and record of changes that indicate to some degree when the part was placed in service, however, as Ford's were being built as fast a possible , part change dates are very hard to pin point, over the 18 years of model year builds!


Here is the link to Benson Ford Research to order specific part or record of change data. Must be done with the Factory #, not the Part# associated with finished item in a Price List. The link shows a hot link to Bruce's earlier hand listing of the Factory Numbers, but it is not searchable. The Model A listing (noted in link below the Model T listing) was done by Nat'l Model A club, and that one is searchable with ease.

If you get the CD set, it's much better as Bruce made both alphabetical and numerical listings of the parts. More easy to find your factory part number.

https://askus.thehenryford.org/FAQs/faq/380538


Examples of what you can get by using Benson Ford Research online, via email. In this case the timelines of Ignition Key Changes, for the combo switch plate introduced in 1919. As noted on Record of Change.

Used with Permission of The Henry Ford.

[TRDxB2]

Not sure what your looking for if this isn't it. The MTFCA Encyclopedia
https://www.mtfca.com/encyclo/index.htm

[George House]

Thank you Dan. I’ll send for Bruce’s set of 2 CDs. I used to have the Accession dating the end of aluminum crank handles in 1914 and the introduction of cast iron crank handles. I believe it was in April 1914. Bruce’s Encyclopedia on our site is vague when it states for 1914, “Aluminum formed handle painted black initially. The steel sleeve assembled type began to be used during the early part of the year.” See how vague that is ? “Steel sleeve assembled type” could describe crank handles at production end. I have two 1914s. One February and one assembled in September. I’d like to have documentation of this part and when different front fender ‘bills’ appeared.

[DanTreace]

Here is info from the CDs.


JAN 9, 1912 Acc. 575, Letter 263
T-520 starting crank handle. “Replaced knurling on
handle with ridges and grooves. Changed material from hard rubber to aluminum and specified the handle to be black enamel.”

FEB 1, 1912 5 Acc. 575, Factory Letter 276
T-520 starting crank handle. (Aluminum) “Removed
ridges from outside of handle and added dimensions specifying the exact shape of same. Called for polish all over.”

APR 4, 1914 Acc.575
T520 starting crank handle changed from aluminum to
cast iron.

JUN 11, 1914 Acc. 575
T2654 front fender “peak” specified. A new design, this
may have been the front lip (or bill) which appeared in 1914 before the 1915 models. (The 1913 and early 1914 fenders had no bill.)
Numerous changes were made in the front fenders and splash aprons at this time.


Other data: The time line of the change in 1914 to the all iron crank handle should be early 1914, in April, would be the thread bolt style into the crank, later are riveted to the crank.

1914 to 1922 .jpg (81.13 KiB) Viewed 170 times

1912-1914
Aluminum handle originally painted black beginning early in the year. In February 1912, however, a letter read, “Removed ridges from outside of handle and added dimensions specifying the exact shape of same. Called for polish all over.” (The handle was no longer painted.)
1914-1921
Handle changed to an iron sleeve, held with a rivet-like bolt. Later versions have been seen which used a riveted- in-place pin instead of the bolt.

[George House]

That’s it Dan ! That’s exactly what I need ! I’ll definitely get those CDs if that kind of information is found. April 4 and June 11,1914 was the Accessions I was looking for. Many thanks